Armed with new contract, McLaurin returns to Commanders practice

Terry McLaurin was the man of the hour at Wednesday’s Commanders practice in Ashburn, Virginia. Sporting gold cleats, the newly paid $96 million man joined his teammates on the training field for the first time in months.

Coach Dan Quinn and general manager Adam Peters breathed a sigh of relief as McLaurin grabbed his helmet and trotted down to the practice field. 

“It was a long process, and there’s no playbook or script on how to handle that situation. You start out one way and hope it ends the way it ended,” said McLaurin, who noted that he received everything he wanted in the deal. “I’m thankful to be back on the field.”

After a few individual drills with other receivers, the rest of the team greeted him with a warm, “There he is” during stretches. 

The response mirrored their initial reaction when news of the deal broke after a team run on Tuesday. Peters caught the commotion from his office and knew exactly what it was. 

McLaurin was happy to be back.

“Like 30 guys were in the weight room, giving me an ovation, cheering for me, happy for me. It was like the biggest gift I’ve got playing football,” McLaurin said. “They’re coming from the cafeteria, the training room just to congratulate me and give me a hug. That’s what the brotherhood is about.”

The explosion from players was the culmination of a nearly six-month negotiation between Peters, McLaurin and his agent, Buddy Baker. But the momentum for a deal grew in recent weeks, even as he continued to miss practices and preseason exhibitions.

While the outside world speculated about a seemingly disgruntled receiver, players in the locker room were growing increasingly optimistic. They weren’t caught off guard when the deal finally became official. 

“We were keeping in contact. We knew more of what was going on than the outside world,” linebacker Bobby Wagner said. “That’s kind of what gave us the confidence that everything’s going to get done — it was just a matter of putting ink on paper.”

Any animosity from the negotiations has washed away, according to the player, coach and executive. 

“You never lose respect or lose perspective of what this guy means to the locker room or our team,” Peters said, noting that the optimism grew in recent weeks. “Deadlines prompt action a lot of times.”

The upcoming season opener at home against the New York Giants was enough to force a compromise between the team and the two-time Pro Bowler. McLaurin’s extension could be worth upwards of $96 million over three seasons, with $44 million guaranteed. 

The general manager clarified that the team didn’t have to extend McLaurin — they could’ve forced him to play the final year of his current contract and re-enter negotiations in the offseason as a free agent. 

“He’s 30, but we wanted to do that because we believe in him, and we believe he could play into his 30s based on what he’s shown us, how hard he works out, how well he takes care of his body,” Peters said, noting that McLaurin is tied to the Commanders through the 2028 season. “I don’t think anybody in that locker room would be surprised if he plays all four of those years.”

On the practice field, it was business as usual for McLaurin. Outside of the extra attention from teammates and media, he finally returned to a routine after months away from structured practices. He joined fellow receivers Noah Brown and Deebo Samuel in individual drills, taking extra work in between reps on the sidelines. 

“It’s awesome. I love coaching him,” said Quinn, who expects McLaurin to be ready for the season opener. “He’s a rare competitor. … [It’s an] important time, even though it’s not technically game week, just to get some reps together. It’s a big deal for us.”

The Ohio State product has plenty of banked practice reps with quarterback Jayden Daniels. He was the Commanders’ leading receiver last season, hauling in 82 catches for 1,096 yards and 13 touchdowns. 

“I’m continuing to do those things at a high level and try to do everything I can for this organization, my teammates and myself,” McLaurin said. “Nobody expects more from Terry McLaurin than me.”